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Will Warbrick doesn’t regret switching codes after earning an Olympic Games silver medal with the All Blacks sevens squad just 18 months ago.
The Rotorua-raised flyer is back in New Zealand bidding to stake his claim for a first NRL start with the Melbourne Storm.
Warbrick made his New Zealand sevens debut in 2019, but signed for the Storm soon after securing the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in a move hailed by The Australian newspaper as “another stunning transtasman coup’’.
But, while Warbrick was learning his new trade in the Queensland Cup last winter, did he cast a wistful glance at his seven buddies striving for another medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games?
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“I can say that I miss sevens and the group of players, but I am happy and content with my decision,’’ he said ahead of the Storm’s pre-season trial against the Warriors in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon.
“I was always going to look at try and give a crack at getting into 15s [rugby union], but I’ve always admired league, obviously I’ve played league before. My hometown, it’s a league town.
“When the opportunity came up with the Storm, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass.
“But I still follow sevens closely, I remain in contact with a lot of the players there and even the coaches check in on me here and there.’’
Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Will Warbrick of Team New Zealand dives in to score a try against Argentina in a men’s sevens game at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Warbrick may have an Olympic rings tattoo on his arm, but he’s “quite settled [in Melbourne] now” and enjoying the challenge of cracking his new code.
His focus is set on achieving his NRL dream, which is why the Christchurch trial is a big step for him.
The 24-year-old got a start on the wing in a young Storm side for last week’s first trial against the Roosters, scoring a try and making enough of an impression to retain his place in a more seasoned lineup for the Warriors clash.
Another consistent effort could catapult him into contention for a maiden NRL appearance when the new season opens against the Eels on March 2.
He’s come a long way in a year since his sevens switch, but admitted it was “pretty challenging’’ at the start.
“I felt I had to start from scratch. Coming from sevens I got to establish myself there, and coming to the Storm I had to start from the bottom again, trying to build my skill and knowledge of the game.’’
At school in Rotorua, Warbrick had represented New Zealand at Australian Rules and played rugby league, but he said it was “a huge leap’’ going from “club footy at high school’’ to joining one of the biggest and best clubs in the NRL.
The learning curve was “steep’’.
“I think the biggest thing for me was I had to be patient. The coaches reminded me of that, they said that what I was trying to do wasn’t easy, so I just had to be patient, and get a bit of experience in the game and it all starts rolling from there.’’
Warbrick “didn’t know anyone’’ at the Storm before he joined but he did know the Craig Bellamy-coached club had “some of the best players and coaches in the game right now and a history of developing players, guys who started their careers here and went on to be some of the best.
“I backed myself that I could be one of those players, and hopefully I can.’’
Warbrick spent last season with the Sunshine Coast Falcons, one of the Storm’s two feeder clubs in the Queensland Cup competition.
The 1.93m 105kg wing scored 10 tries in 14 appearances, earning a Team of the Week selection after a hat-trick against the Ipswich Jets and bagging a double against the Mackay Cutters, a game in which he ran for 327m.
Over the season he averaged 169m per game, made 14 line breaks and had a 87.3 per cent tackle efficiency rate.
Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Will Warbrick at his first pre-season stint with the Storm in November 2021 soon after his switch from rugby sevens.,
Warbrick and his coaches set him a target of a NRL start in 2023.
“Thats been my goal throughout the off season. It’s the only thing I’ve been focusing on.
“I feel like I’m making some pretty good progress, especially this pre-season. I’ve come in with a few focuses, I’m much more comfortable now.”
But he’s not getting far ahead of himself, saying he “wouldn’t say I’m satisfied’’ with his outing against the Roosters.
“I was a little bit rusty, but I got through a bit of work in that game and got through healthy. It was a good starting point for me, and hopefully I can go on from there in terms of playing [on Sunday] and performing.
“Hopefully I can play NRL, whether it’s round one or during the season, I’m not sure. I’m just worried about [Sunday’s game] and having a good performance and being consistent.’’
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